The Sony SRS-XB43 is a well-built, portable speaker that you can use either horizontally or vertically. It has customizable lighting and an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance that certifies it to be fully dust-tight and immersible in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes. Like many Sony speakers we've tested, it supports ClearAudio+, which is advertised to adjust your speaker's sound field to your audio. Unfortunately, even with its EXTRA BASS and Sony ClearAudio+ features activated, the XB43 has an uneven sound profile that struggles to reproduce a thumpy low-bass. Its soundstage is uneven and narrow, too. However, there's a graphic EQ featured in its Sony Music Center companion app, which you can use to customize its sound to your liking.
Our Verdict
The Sony XB43 is fair for music. It has a balanced mid-range that ensures vocals and lead instruments sound clear and present in the mix. However, its underemphasized treble can make higher frequencies sound dull or veiled. Also, it struggles to reproduce low-bass, even with its EXTRA BASS preset turned on. Fortunately, you do have some ability to customize its sound to your liking using the graphic EQ in the Sony Music Center app. While it gets loud, its soundstage is narrow, and there's some compression present when you play it at max volume.
- Supports multi-device pairing.
- Graphic EQ and presets.
- Compression artifacts at max volume.
- Narrow soundstage.
The Sony XB43 is middling for videos and movies. Even with its EXTRA BASS preset turned on, it struggles to produce low-bass, so you don't feel the deep thump in action-packed scenes. Its soundstage is narrow and directional, which doesn't create a very immersive listening experience. Fortunately, its latency with iOS and Android devices via Bluetooth is low, so your audio should sync up with the images you see. That said, some apps compensate for latency differently, and your experience may vary.
- Low latency via Bluetooth.
- Compression artifacts at max volume.
- Narrow soundstage.
The Sony XB43 is decent for podcasts. Its balanced mid-range can reproduce vocals clearly, though its underemphasized treble range can make higher-frequency sounds a bit dull and veiled. You can adjust its sound profile using the EQ in the Sony Music Center app. It gets pretty loud, but unfortunately, there are some compression artifacts present when you play it at max volume.
- Portable design.
- Supports multi-device pairing.
- Compression artifacts at max volume.
The Sony XB43 doesn't have any built-in voice assistant capabilities, so it just uses the system on your paired smartphone. As part of our methodology, we use recorded voice commands to test the speaker. However, the speaker didn't respond to some of these commands, even when there isn't any ambient noise present. While it responded to a normal speaking voice, this isn't part of our testing process.
- Portable design.
- No built-in voice assistant.
The Sony XB43 is great for outdoor use. It has an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, so you can take it outdoors with you without needing to worry about it getting a bit dusty or wet from some light rain. It feels durable, and since it's battery-operated, it's very portable. It lasts around 15 hours off of a single charge, which is incredible, and there are lots of power-saving features available. However, its soundstage isn't very immersive, and there's some compression present when you play it at max volume.
- IP67 rating.
- Portable design.
- Compression artifacts at max volume.
Changelog
- Updated Aug 23, 2022: Changed the test result for 'EQ' from 'Graphic' to 'Graphic + Presets' in the App box.
- Updated Aug 19, 2022: Added a comparison with the Sony SRS-XE300 in the 'Voice Assistants' box.
- Updated Aug 09, 2022: Added a comparison with the Sony SRS-XE200 in the 'Portability' and 'Voice Assistant' boxes.
- Updated Jan 13, 2022: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Sony SRS-XB43 Extra Bass comes in 'Black', 'Taupe', and 'Blue'. We tested the 'Black' variant, and you can see the label for the model we tested here. We expect the other color variants to perform similarly.
If you come across another version of the Sony SRS-XB43, let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.
Popular Speaker Comparisons
The Sony SRS-XB43 is a speaker from Sony's Extra Bass series. Like the Sony SRS-XB33, you can use it either horizontally or vertically, and it supports ClearAudio+, which is advertised to adjust your speaker's sound field to your audio. Even though it has an EXTRA BASS preset, it still struggles to reproduce low-bass, its overall sound profile is quite uneven, and its soundstage is very narrow. Fortunately, it offers a graphic EQ to help you customize its sound.
Check out our recommendations for the best Bluetooth speakers, the best portable Bluetooth speakers, and the best Bluetooth speakers for bass.
The JBL Xtreme 3 and the Sony SRS-XB43 are similar speakers, so depending on your listening habits, you may prefer one over the other. The JBL is better built and has a better soundstage performance. However, the Sony has a longer battery life and supports voice assistants.
The Sony SRS-XB43 is better for most uses than the Sony SRS-XB33. Though both speakers have an uneven sound profile out-of-the-box, the XB43's are better balanced. It can also get louder. While the XB33 lists an IK rating for impact resistance, there isn't an IK rating specified for the XB43. Also, the XB33 has lower latency via Bluetooth with Android and iOS devices, though some apps compensate for latency, so your experience may vary.
The Sony SRS-XB43 is a better speaker than the JBL Flip 6 overall. With its ClearAudio+ and EXTRA BASS features enabled, the Sony can produce a more extended low-bass than the JBL. It can get louder and play stereo content without downmixing it to mono, which is more immersive. It has a longer-lasting battery life making it better suited for longer listening sessions. It also supports voice assistants through your smartphone. The JBL's sound profile is better balanced out of the box, and its soundstage is perceived as wider and more open. It's also smaller, making it more portable and easier to bring along with you on the go.
The Sony SRS-XB43 and the Anker Soundcore Motion+ are similar speakers. The Sony is better-built, with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance certifying it to be dust-tight and immersible in a meter of water for 30 minutes. It also has a ClearAudio+ feature advertised to adjust the speaker's sound field to better suit your audio content. That said, the Anker has a wider-sounding soundstage than the Sony. It also has a slightly longer battery life, though this can depend on your usage habits. Additionally, it's smaller and more portable than the Sony.
Test Results
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